New Brunswick saw the longest average at almost 42 weeks, while Ontario boasts the shortest of 15.

Among the various specialties, national wait times were longest for orthopaedic surgery at 41.7 weeks, and neurosurgery at 32.9 weeks. The shortest wait for a patient was for medical oncology, at about three weeks.

“Long wait times are not a trivial matter — they can increase suffering for patients, decrease quality of life, and in the worst cases, lead to disability or death,” study author Bacchus Barua said in a statement.

“It’s time for policymakers to consider reforming the outdated policies that continue to contribute to long wait times in Canada.”